Friends All Along
by Ashiko Tsurugi
Summary: Zim has completed his mission to take over the Earth, and he takes Gir to a special place to explain to him what's happening around them


Friends All Along  
Ashiko Tsurugi  
  
A/N: Fixed a few things... some points that didn't get across with the fic...  
  
***  
  
"Earth is yours for the taking, my Tallest..."  
  
"Excellent job, Zim. You have surpassed your standards." Purple turned to Red. They snickered about something, then Red faced Zim.  
  
"We will beam you up soon, Zim." The transmission shorted out, leaving Zim with a sinking feeling in his squigly-spooch. (A/N: squidly-spooch?) He walked to the window of his Earth home, staring at the devestated street.  
  
Gir remained by his side, unusually silent. He sensed the seriousness of the moment, and respected that. Something nagged at him from the inside.  
  
"Master...?" he murmured.  
  
"Hmm? What's the matter, Gir?"  
  
"Did you kill Dib?"  
  
Silence.  
  
"Master...?"  
  
Zim reached out, flexing his fingers. Gir took his hand, staring up at the alien he so admired.  
  
"Come on, Gir... Let's go for a walk."  
  
***  
  
He took them among familiar territory, Dib's neighborhood.  
  
"Why are we here, Master?"  
  
"Shush, Gir."  
  
He pushed open the door that hung askew on its hinges. Gir peered in: Dib's house.  
  
"Why --?"  
  
"-- Gir!" Zim's voice was terribly serious; it scared Gir.  
  
Zim strode through the house, climbing over the rubble. After picking up Gir, he extended the spider legs from his backpack. They pulled them up the shattered stairway, and they quickly approched the top floor.  
  
Gir held onto Zim, wondering what Zim was going to show him.  
  
Zim's foot touched the top floor. His extra mecha legs recoiled into into his pack.  
  
Then, they walked down the creaky hallway that seemed to stretch on for eternity. Just as it had been an eternity, Zim stopped at an undamaged door.  
  
Gir knew very well that there was to be silence until Zim spoke first.  
  
And he opened the door.  
  
Dib rested on his bed, the covers tucked tight around him. His skin was a cold gray; and his eyes didn't seem like they would ever open again.  
  
Gir looked up at Zim. Zim's eyes were focused on Dib's sleeping form.  
  
"He's not sleeping, Gir."  
  
"Then why isn't he bleeding? Like all the other humans." Gir noticed Zim's eyes turning to him. He was set on the ground, and Zim knelt in front of him.  
  
His hand rubbed Gir's head, brushing the bobbing antenna affectionately. "I gave him something in his sleep... He won't ever wake up... He won't feel the pain when Earth blows up..."  
  
"When Earth blows up?"  
  
The innocence made Zim choke down a sob. "Y-Yes, Gir."  
  
Slowly, he explained all he knew... All he'd known for a little over a month.  
  
The Tallest had betrayed him. They'd sent him to Earth to get rid of him.  
  
He remained loyal through and through, only because he knew nothing else... Being a soldier was his only life.  
  
And now, his life was endangered... and would soon be over. The Tallest had never intended to beam him up... or take him home. Both he and Gir, would be gone with the Earth.  
  
"As soon as the Tallest arrive, Gir, we'll be dead..."  
  
"Dead--?"  
  
"Yes... Gir... Dead... It means, offline... We'll be sleeping like Dib." Tears welled in his eyes.  
  
"Why did you put Dib to sleep?" Gir couldn't yet grasp what was going on.  
  
"Because... He was my friend, Gir... He was the only one that ever wanted me..." The tears began to flow freely. Zim ignored the burning sensation, finishing quietly, "He's my only friend..."  
  
Gir looked at Zim, his master... And he whispered, "Dead means... sleeping. And Dib was your only friend...?"  
  
"Yes, Gir, that's right." His gloved hand brushed the antenna on top of his head.  
  
"But Master... What about me?" He pointed at his chest cavity.  
  
"What about you?"  
  
"Aren't I your friend?"  
  
Zim looked at Gir with saddening eyes. "I was always mean to you, Gir. Why am I your friend?"  
  
"Because you took me home with you, Master... We're the same; no one ever wanted me either.... Don't you remember?"  
  
Zim thought back. The cylinder the Tallest had used to birth Gir... had been a garbage can. They had thrown him at Zim's feet...  
  
Of course... Gir was right. They _were_ the same... Zim would give everything to keep it that way.  
  
He wrapped his arms around Gir, holding him close.  
  
  
...And there was a familiar whistling sound of a missile.  
  
"Do you want me to turn you off, Gir?" Zim had realized they had about 30 seconds left... alive. If anyone remembered them, it would be with scorn... Maybe, that was better than nothing.  
  
"No, Master... I want to be with you... I don't want you to be alone."  
  
Gir rested his head on Zim's chest. He clung to Zim's shoulders, moving his arms around Zim's neck, hugging him as he had often hugged his pig.  
  
"I love you, Master," said Gir, affectionately.  
  
"I love you too, Gir... And, thank you..."  
  
And the bright, white light surrounded them.  
  
****  
  
A/N: Sad? I dunno... It might be odd... Review and tell me what you think... ;_; I love Gir... 


End file.
